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IW. SPALCKHAVER. N Paper-Folding Machine. No. 224,051. Patented Feb. 3, 1880.

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No.l224,051. Patented Feb.Y 3,1880.

k l' D() Y .FETEYS. PHOTO-LiTHoGRAP-IER, WASHINGTON. D. C1

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W. SPALCKHAVBR. Paper-Folding Machine.

Patented Feb. 3, |2380.

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NFErEHs. PHOTD-L|THOGRAPNER. WASHINGTONy D C.

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W. SPALGK 'HUIER. Paper-Folding Machine.

Patented Feb. 3, |880.

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Patenfed Feb. 3, 1880.

N4 PEYERS. Pnnro LITMOGRAPMEAWASMINGTON. D C.

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e UNITED STATES `WILLIAM srALoKHAvEI-t, OE BROOKLYN, AssieNoa To E. HOE a oo., OE

NEW YORK, N. Y;

L PAPER-#FOLDING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 224,051, dated February 3, 1880.

Application iled J une 24, 1879.

To all whom it may concern f Be itknown that LWILLrAM SPALOKHAVER, ofthe city of Brooklyn, county of Kings, State of New York, have invented an Improvement in Paper-Folding Machines, of which the following is a specification. This invention relates to that class of folding-machines which are designed forattachment to web-perfecting printing-machines as 1o the delivery apparatus thereof.

Of this class of machines the most practical are such whose mechanisms are rotary in their movements, for the reason that as their rotative mechanisms correspond in capacity with those of the printing-machine to which they are attached, it follows that the foldingniachine may be thus made to operate with a speed equal to that of the printing-machine, and thus be capable of delivering` its product.

2o These rotating folding-machines 'have heretofore generally consisted in part of ,a revolving carrier supporting` a folding or creasing blade, (sometimes fixed and sometimes m'ovaableeither by a reciproeatiou or a rotatiom) 2 5 which acts to double or crease the sheet of paper `along the line of its intended fold into the grasp of folding-rollers or other nipping receiving devices, which, seizing said doubled portion, carry the sheet of paper onward until its front and rear portions are doubled by being laid together, or the same is folded once. Many objections exist to the use of such folding-blades in these rapidly-operating ma` chines. The elect of their operation is to strike the paper with a percussive blow, which 'is `liable to tear or partially tear the sheet along the folding-line. They do not accurately operate to accomplish the fold at the precise line desired, the position of such fold 4o `varying" according to the speed at which the mechanisms operate. Their use necessitates a structure that is not only expensive, but liable to derangement and to require frequent adjustment.

My invention avoids the use of any foldingblade whatsoever; audit consists,.primarily, in a revolving carrier provided with devices i which seize the edges of the sheet at opposite l .points of the line ofitsintended fold, and carry 5p "the said sheet at the point of its seizure to the action of a pressing or laying roller that iinishes the folding operation, and lays the front and rear portions of the sheet together.

Said invention also comprehends combinations of the various mechanisms, and includes a counting mechanism, all of which willbev `more fully hereinafter set forth.

ln said drawings, Figurel represents a` right-side elevation of my improved foldingmachine. Fig. 2 represents a rear-end eleva- 6o tion thereof. Fig. 3 represents a longitudinal sectional elevation of the vcylinder or carrier, showing particularly the arrangement of the vfolding gripers or fingers therewith. Fig. 4

represents a left-hand longitudinal sectional elevation, on the line c b of Fig. 2, of the ma- ;chine as provided with the necessary mechanisms for imparting two parallel folds to a single sheet. Fig. 5 represents, by a longitudinal sectional diagram, in elevation, the mode of 7o attaching my folding-machine to or combining it with a web-printin g machine. Fig. 6 represeats, by a longitudinal sectional diagram, a 4modiiied form of its attachment to a web- `printing machine. Figs. 7 andSrepresent, by 75 an enlarged elevation and plan View, the structure of the counting apparatus.

The folding-machine, as illustra-ted in Figs.

l to 4, will rst be explained.

A revolving cylindrical carrier, 10, is mounted 8o so as to turn in suitable bearingsin the framework, the same being revolved by means of its shaft 21, which is rotated by any suitable driving-wheel and proper gearing. This earrier l0 is provided with a toothed wheel, 20, 8-5 fast upon its shaft, which meshes with pinions 22, 23, and 24 on the shafts of the tape rollers or pulleys 25 26 27. This carrier is provided at opposite sides with laterally-operatin g gripers or fingers 3 5, that are suitably shaped or 9o bent so that their ends will lie flat or snugly upon the surface of said cylinder when in their closed positions, said gripersor fingersbeing fast upon shafts 8 9, that are hung in brackets fast upon the heads of said carrier, and provided 9 5 with projecting rock-arms 1S 19, which are connected together by a rod, 28, whereby the movement of one griper may be imparted to the other and the two thus caused to move in concert, said rod 2S being provided with an :roo encircling coiled spring, 40, that is seated at e one end upon a stop-plate, 46, and at the other abutting against an adjustable collar, 47, fast upon the rod, the tendency of which springis to hold said gripers open. Shaft 9 of .one of these gripers is provided with a rock-arm, 29, that extends beyond the cylinder-head, so as to ride upon a stationary cam, 30, fast to the frame-work. Thus constructed the gripers or fingers will be carried around with the cylinder or carrier 10, while the rock-arm 29, riding upon the high part of the cam 30, will close said gripers against the pressure of the spring 40, which spring will open said gripers or ngers as the low portions of this cam are traversed by said rock-arm.

The series of tapes are arranged so as to conduct the sheets onto this cylinder, permit their leading ends to pass off from the same to aid its doubling and folding, and then guide the doubled sheet properly onward.

The upper series, 4l, of primary tapes run from the roller or pulleys 26 in contact with the cylinder for a short distance, then lead vertically under roller or pulleys 31, from which they return over the roller or pulleys 32 to the roller or pulleys 26.

The lower series, 42, of the primary tapes lead from the roller or pulleys 33 directly onto the cylinder 10, pass nearly around the same, andreturn over pulleys 25 t-said pulleys or roller 33. These primary tapes, which constitute the conductors for conveying the sheets in succession directly into this folding-machine, might receive-said sheets as fed to them from a feed-table fixed directly over the said tapes 42 in like manner as are the feed-tables of cylinder printing-machines, a suitable vibrating gage governing the position of each sheet passing to said tapes and onto the cylinder l0; and the roller 26 might have a slight rising-andfalling motion, so timed as to drop, seize, and carry forward the sheets at the proper time, as is also common in cylinder printing-machines.

A third set of tapes, 43, extend from pulleys or roller 36 in contact with the under surface of the cylinder, and return around the roller or pulleys 27. rllhese tapes perform the function of aiding in both the folding and delivery ofthe sheets.

A set of guides or rods, 37, are rigidly xed so as to protrude between the pulleys 27, or into grooves'therein, if aroller is used at this point to carry the tapes 43, said guides or rods extendin gin an inclined direction from said pulleys 27 down to the bed-plate of the machine, Aand they are supplemented by conductors 38, that are curved to coincide with the upper and outer surfaces of said pulleys, and extend into grooves 14 in the periphery ofthe cylinder 10,-said conductors, with the tapes 43 and guards 37, forming a delivery-channel for once-folded sheets.

The devices thus far described are capable of imparting a single central transverse fold to the sheets, which operation will now be explained. Y

A sheet, A, fed to and conveyed into this eration ofthe spring 40, will be closed down upon the sheet by the operation of the cam 30, thus clamping the sheet by its edges upon the cylinder at opposite points of the line of its intended fold, which operation of the gripers may be effected, according to the shape of the cam, at any time of their passage, with the cylinder, from the point wherethe tapes 41 42v enter onto the cylinder to that -at which the tapes 41 leave it. When the gripers pass the latter point they will cause the sheet to cease to pass oif from the cylinder, while continuing to move with it, the line upon which it is held by the gripers or ngers now becoming the leading portion, which, being carried into the nip of th'e tapes 43, will draw the forward end, now the drooping portion, over the doubling-roller 36, and cause the same to be lapped against the rear portion of the sheet, said sheet being thus doubled in its center, and the two halves, or front and rear portions, of the same being laid together. As the central fold, now the leading' edge, is fairly between the tapes 43 and the under surface of` the cylinder, the low part of the cam 30 is reached by the rock-arm 29, and the spring 40 again operates to open the gripers or iingers 3 5, thus releasing the folded sheet, and leaving vit wholly in control of the tapes 43 and the cylinder-surface, it being carried on- IOO ward and pressed or smoothed by the action 4 of the pressing-roller 27 5 and when the point is reached where the conductors 38 intercept the same said folded sheet will be guided overthe pressing-roller 27 and down in front of the guides or rods 37, whence it will, by its momentum, follow the guides 37 and descend upon a delivery-board or any common delivery device, as the traveling endless belts 39, which, running over pulleys or rollers 44 45, will feed successive sheets received upon them outward in the direction of the arrow.

In order to count the delivered folded sheets there is attached to the driving-roller 44 of these endless belts-39 a counting mechanism, that is constructed as follows: The shaft 5l of the belt-driving roller 44 carries fast at one end, outside of the frame -work, a double ratchet-wheel that'is provided upon one half of the width of its periphery with a continuous set of ratchet-teeth, 4, and kon the other half of saidV periphery with a single tooth, 2. This ratchet-wheel is actuated to rotate the roller-shaft 51 and move theendless belts.

39 byl means of pawls 16 17, one of-which engages the teeth 4 and the other the tooth 2. The pawl 16 carries a weighted arm, 48, press- IIO IIS

ing'sit to duty, and is pivoted loosely up'on a stud, 15, projecting from a rock-arm, 52, that :is mounted upon a stud, 53, attached to a bracket extended from the sideframe, which rock-arm is vibrated by means of a-stud, 1, carried by the arm 54 of a three-armed lever, thatturns freely upon the shaft 51 `and is actuated by a connecting-rod, 49, pivoted to the end of the arm 55 andeccentrically to the side of the toothed wheel 20. The third arm, 56, of this three-armed lever carries, pivoted to its side, a pawl, 17, which rides up on the plane periphery 13 of the ratchet-wheel, and once during each revolution thereof engages the tooth 2, which may be held toduty either by gravity or a spring. i

As `each sheet is deposited upon the belts 39 the connecting-rod 49 vibrates the three-armed lever, which, in turn, moves the pawls 16 17. The former, engaging one of the teeth 4, moves it one tooth, and moving the shaft 51, together with the belt-roller 44 and deposited sheets, a slight distance forward, while the pawl 17 rides idly upon the periphery 13 of 4said ratchetwheel. When, however, this ratchet wheel has been so far rotated by the pawl 16 as' to permit the pawl 17 (whose movement 'is of great extent) topass behind the tooth 2, said pawl will, when vibrated forward, engage said tooth and rotate the shaft 51 and roller 44 a considerable distance, thus moving the accumulated sheetsa distance away from the guides 37. This ratchet-wheel has thirty-two teeth, and the throw of the pawl 17 is equal to the` feed of seven of these teeth; consequently, when twenty-five folded sheetshave been deposited upon the belts 39, the pawl 17 will rotate the ratchet-wheel and pulleyr 44 such a distance as to carry such sheets bodily forward, and thus distinctly separate them from the next mass of sheets, which will afterward accumulate one by one. Of course this mechanism may be constructed to count any desired number of sheets. y

VThis machine may be so constructed as to r impart two or more parallel folds to thesame sheet, to illustrate which Fig. 4 shows the necessary construction to make two parallel folds, as follows: i

The cylinder 10 is provided with a second set of gripers or fingers, one, 7, only of which is shown, which gripers or fingers are con` structed, mounted, and operated as are those hereinbetore described, being, however, so placed in said cylinder as to occupy a position with respect to the fingers3 5 suiting the relationthe second fold is `to bear to the first. In this instance said fingers 7 are at points about forty degrees distant from the fingers 3 5, so that they `will double the once-folded sheet, which in extent is a little less than the circumference of the cylinder 10 in its center.

When-two sets of gripers are used the second set will be operated by the cam 80, secured to the frame-work at the end of the cylinder opposite to the cam 30.

In producing the second fold, a fourth set of tapes,`50, are used, which tapes run fro`m a doubling-roller, 34, a short distance in contact with the cylinder 10, then pass over the pressing-roller 25, and return over a roller, 35, which tapes thus stretched form, with the tapes 42,

a delivery-passage for the twice-folded sheets. These tapes are illustrated in Fig. 1, (though useless in producing once-folded sheets,) in order to show their relation'and that of their driving-roller 25 to the other mechanisms. In this arrangement, as the sheets are not to be guided through the channel formed by the guides 37 and conductors 38, said conductors 38 are removed out of operation, as is shown in Fig. 4.

With the machine th us organized,each sheet delivered to the cylinderl() will be once folded, as before described, its leading edge being released, as sta ted, and. allowed to pass over and droop from the roller 27 5 but, as its two plies, or front and rear portions, are lapped or doubled together by the action of the doublingroller 36, and enter between the tapes 43 and the surface of the cylinder 10i, the rock-arm of the gripers 7 will ride upon the high part of the cam 80, and be closed down upon'the opposite edges Vof the once-folded sheet at points corresponding to aline passing through its transverse center, and thus held said sheet will be carried upward toward the doublingroller 34, between -which and the surface of the cylinder it will be so doubled or lapped as to lay the two halves of the same upon each other. When this is accomplished the rockarm of the gripers 7 passes od from the high part of the cam 80, and the spring opens the gripers to release said leading edge, which is then carried into the conducting channel, formed by the tapes 50 42, that direct it to the action of the pressing-roller 25, and between the rollers 33 35, whence it may be conducted off to be again folded either parallel or at right angles,or it may fall upon a suitable receiving-table, or be conducted to any piling apparatus.

This folding apparatus in either of its described forms, or further modified to'prodnce a third fold, if desired, may be combinedwith a web-printing machine, so as to fold the sheets produced thereby.

Two forms of such an arrangement of it are shown in Figs. 5 and 6, and it is to be understood that when so combined the shaft 21 of the cylinder 10 may be provided with a suitable toothed wheel, as 70, by which it may be driven through a train of proper gearing'- wheels, as 71 72 73, from a revolving shaft or one of the cutting-cylinders as 59, of said printing-machine. In such arrangement the main feeding-tapes 41 42 will be extended so as to pass around rollers or pulleys 57 58, just in advance of the cutting-cylinders 59 60 ot the printing machine, or they might pass around said cutting-cylinders, occupying the points where the cutting-blades are broken away. In such case said tapes must be speeded to run somewhat faster than the cutting mechc anism does, in order to accelerate the movement of the leading end of the web, and thus separate or detach its leading end from said web along the line of its partial severance and constitute it a sheet; and even when the cutting-cylinders entirely sever the web, and

thus form the sheets, it will be desirable, though vnot essential, to accelerate these tapes so as to provide for a slight separation of the sheets. With these tapes thus extended the pulleys or roller 26 may act as a returningroller for the tapes 42, as -in Fig. 5, whereby said` tapes are bent so as to aid the proper seizure of the sheets between said tapes and the surface of the cylinder 10, or be omitted entirely, as in Fig. 6.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. the tapes 42 run from the roller 58 over the bending-roller 26, and, passing a short distance in contact.with the surface of the cylinder l0, thence return under the roller 3l to the roller 58 g and the tapes 41 pass from the rollers 57 over the leading-roller 26, nearly encircle the cylinder l0, thence pass over the roller 25,

and return to the roller 57 over the rollers 33 and 32. These tapes thus conduct the sheets to the cylinder and within the range of action of the folding mechanism, and the arrangement of the parts is such that the folding mechanism delivers its product in a direction away from the printing-machine.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 6 the gearing is such that the cylinder 10 revolves in a direction contrary to that shown in the preceding figures, and the taping is modified as follows: d, l

The tapes 42 run from the roller 58 directly onto and nearly around the cylinder l0, being returned over pressing-roller and under a tape-roller, 63. -The tapes 4l run from the taperoller 57 directly onto the cylinder 10, bearing upon a portion of said cylinder, and return under the roller 3l and over the roller 32. The tapes 50 run from the'doubling-roller 34 in contact with the cylinder 10, over the pressingroller 25, over the roller 35, (that is now arranged in close proximity to the roller 63,) and return over a bending-roller, 64. The tapes 42 50 thus -forn1 a delivery-channel leading to the rollers 63, from grooves in which extend a set of conductors, 6l, and a set of guides or rods, 62, that lead to the endless belts 39.

The sheets may be once folded and delivered over the pressing-roller27, as lbefore described 5 or the adjustments for making two folds having been made, as hereinbefore explained, the twice-folded sheets will be guided over the pressing-roller 25, and, passing between the tapes 42 and 50,-will thence be directed in the apparatus Fig. 5 to any form of delivery mechanism, as hereinafter explained, or, in the apparatus Fi g,. 6, be directed by the conductors 6l from the rollers 35 -down before the guides or rods 62 to the tapes 39.

Vhen the sheets are to be once folded by the apparatus Fig. 6, the guides or rods 62 will be removedin order not toobstruct ther movement forward of the sheets delivered before the guides 37. I

The arrangementl of the delivery tapes and rollers for the twicefolded sheets may, as is apparent, be. independent of the tapes 42, which would then leave the roller 25 as a mere guide-roller for the return of said tapes 42.

Either or both of the deliveries for the sheets may conduct them to any piling mechanism or to folding mechanisms constructed and arranged to impart one or more folds to said sheets in the same direction or at right angles to the preceding folds.

The camv 80 or cam 30 may be grooved, if desired, so as to impart positive movements in both directions tothe ngers or gripers, thus avoiding the use of a spring, as 40.

The doubling-rollers 36 or 34, so far as their function of forming an opposing surface operating in conjunction with the gripers or tingers to lay or double the front and rear ends of the sheets together, and thus finish the folding, is concerned, may have substituted for them a rigid bar with rounded face, or a curved xed plate, or any similar opposing surface, over which the two plies of the sheets are drawn.

It is' obvious that the taping of this folding apparatus in any of its forms may be considerabl y modied. -Thus the series of tapes 41 42, leading the sheets or end of the web to the cylinder 10, may be so arranged as to perform the function of carrying said sheet or the web into a position within the range of action of the gripers or fingers carried by said cylinder; hence neither of said tapes need pass around said cylinder. In like manner the tapes 43 may be omitted, whereupon the sheet folded, by being drawn between the doubling-roller 36 and the cylinder, may, when its leading or doubled edge is released, be propelled onward by the action of the pressing-roller 27, or, if such roller is omitted, simply drop bodily onto a proper receiving device. So, too, in doublefoldin g, the tapes may be' omitted, whereupon the once-folded-sheet, seized by the gripers 7 on the line of its second fold, will have its head released at the proper moment thereafter, so as to droop downward, when it will be doubled on its second folding-line between the doubling-roller 34 and cylinder, be propelled` onward by the pressing-roller 25, and delivered therefrom in a manner similar to that described for once-folded sheets.

Having now fully described my improvements, what I claim as new, and desire to 4secure by lLetters Patent, is-

1. A rotary folding mechanism consisting of a revolvingl carrier provided with gripers or iin gers operating to seize or clamp the edges of a sheet at opposite points of the line of its intended fold and carry the same onward, and of a doubling device, between which and said carrier the sheet is doubled or folded, all substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a revolving carrier provided with 'laterally-operating sheet- IOO IIO

seizing gripers or fingers, of a `sheetrdonbling roller, substantially as described.

8. The combination, with a revolving carrier provided with laterally-operating sheetseizing gripers or fingers and a sheet-doubling roller, of tapes conveying the sheet to said carrier, substantially as described.

4. The combinatiomwith a revolving carrier provided with laterally-operating sheet-` seizing gripers or in gers, of a sheet-doubling roller and a sheet-pressin g roller, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with a revolving carrier provided with laterally-operating sheetseizing gripers or fingers and a sheet-doubling roller, of primary tapes, as 41 42, and supplemental tapes, as 43, substantially as described.

6. The combination, with a revolving earrier provided with two sets of laterally-operating sheet-seizin g gripers or fingers, of two sheet doubling rollers, substantially as described.

7 TheA combination, with the endless belts 39, of` a sheet-counting mechanism consisting of a double ratchet-wheel provided with a continuous set of ratchet-teeth upon'one portion of its periphery and a single tooth upon the other portion thereof, with which are comthe endless belts 

